Boat-handling apparatus



'March 9,1926.

s. E. AARON BOAT HANDLING APPARATUS 5 sheets-sheet 1 original Filed oct.

March9, 1926. 1,575,808 1 s. E. AARON v `BOAT HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. .7, -1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 7u fw Z m. z n .Mw Z e j. 9 )l i O 0 a fr 2 m W J m w b.. n ..MWH m A w Qu 7 l w 7 y .6 y ad 5 5 w 4 Y. z E 2 m z` E o w .M l n W W Y .f/ m 0 .Z w n ----d. mm W f March 9 1926. 1,575,808

, v s. E. AARON l BOAT HANDLING APPARATUS originalFiledoct. v, 1920 5 sheefs-sheet s' v March 9 1926.

- S. E. AARON BOAT HANDLING APPARATUS origini Filed oct. 7, 1920 5 Sheetssheet 5 Y i be handled on one or both sidesof a vessel Patented Mai'. i9, 1926. i

l QWEQE.

SoLoMoN Emvaan Aanomor BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. y

` BOAT-'HANDLING APPARATS.

coz'irinuaticn cf application Serfiaiinc'. 415,40@ nica october 7, 1920.. Tn'icappiiccticn nica December 16, f 192,1. sc riai Nc. seasooa To aZZ wiom.'t may cncern:

Be 1t known that I, SOLOMONl E. AARON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk 'and State i of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat-Handling Apparatus; and AI do hereby declare the following to be a fnll,clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such`as will enl l0 able others skilled in the art to which appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for handling lifeboats on shipboard. y

i The object of the invention is to provide a simple, etliient, economical, device by meansofwhich one or more lifeboats may by a common winchengine operated either `by power or hand and by means of which the lifeboats may be raised or lowered with safety and despatch, being at all times under IA. control from the deck of the vessel and from the boats themselves.

Further more particular objects will ap;

l pearand be more particularly described in connection 'with the specification ot the structure hereinafter disclosed..V

lThis a-pplica`tion is a continuation of my application, Serial No. 415,406, filed Oct. 7 1920.` q.

The invention consists in the novel structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter` vrmore particularly dei scribed and claimed.

Five. sheets of drawings .accompany this specificationv as part thereof in which like reference 'characters denote like" parts throughout. y

Figure '1 represents. a transverse section of a lifeboat deck of a vessel showing lifeboats in davits on both sides of the vessel and the falls operating engine located amidship; w

Figure'Q is an end View of a power driven Winch operatingengine;

.1 cured to the liteboats L.

' Figure 3 is a sectional view taken from the yline 3 3 of Figure 4; f

, Figure 4 is aside elevationof a motor is an end elevation of a hand Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of ai part of a vessels deck showing a lifeboat in the davits'and the disposition of the falls' and the brake control ropes with reference to lthe single Winch hand operated engine;

Figurey 9 is a detail view of the Spring element in the brake operatingv rope.

Referring-to the drawings, the present invention is applicable to lifeboats supported inan suitable type of davits, those illusL trate -here comprising frames 2 mounted on deck D, davit arms 3 pivoted to links 5 at 4, the linksbeing pivoted to the frame at 6. The davits are elevated and swung outboard by` means of screws 8 operatingi davits being pivoted to the blocks 7 Falls blocks 11 provided with cleats 14`are se- Falls ropes 12 are woven through the falls blocks 10'11, as -in common practice, and,` carriedV thence through guide pulleys l13, a roller.30 to the winch drums lV of the fall operating engine. Applicants improved winch engine vis shown in both singleand double units and will be ,described first with refe-renceto a single unit adapted .to operate one or several nested lifebatsonone side of the vessel only and will then be described with reference to the double units adapted to handle lifeboats on both sides oftheveslsel.

v Referring particularly to Figures 4, 6 and 7, and the windlass structure generally two winch drums WV arelixedly mounted on a shaft 16, on -which are also mounted` two lthrough threaded blocks 7 and handles 9, the

brake drums, one on either end of the winch' drums, around which pass brakebands 25. The 'ends of shaft 16 are squared to receive operating handles, if desired, and the shaft 16 is suitably mounted in the frame 2 3'. Gear wheel 18 is freely niounted on shaft 16 and prov'ided with a clutch hub adapted toengage a clutch member 17' slidably but nonrotatably mounted on shaft 16' and' operated by lever 20 lwith handle v38 controlled by latch 39 in engagement with the notched guide 41, saidlatch member 39 being nor: mally held invlocked engagement by means of spring 40. Main operative shaft l is suitably mounted'in lframe 23 above gear 18 and at right'angles toshaft 1 6 and is pro'- vided with a worm member 19.. The ends of shaft are also squared for .the reception., x \of operating handles. "The brake-bands are pivoted atone end, as at 44, and 'at the other end, as at 43, to lever 26, to the other end of which lever is secured brake operating rope 27,y which passes -upwardly over pulley 28 and thence downwardly back and under roller 30, which also serves as a guide for the falls ropes. The roller 30 and pulleys 28 are mounted in suitable -supports31 prolvided with guards `29. From roller 30'the brake control ropes 27 pass over pulleys coaxial with pulleys 13 and guide roller- 30 also over pulleys coaxial with.l those-of the falls ropes in block 10A andare belayed to the cleats '14' on falls blocks 11 secured at each end of each lifeboat Means for adjustingthe tensionof the brake bands is illustrated vin the turnbuckles 42, as shown in Figure 3, by adjustment lof'which changes due toclimatic variations may be rectified.

To ,the structure thus described Where it is desired to operate the windlass by power,

a motor 24 is mounted upon frame 23 Vandprovided with a geary wheel 32. Another gear wheel 33 having an internally splined hub, is slidably mounted upon shaft 15` which is provided with a splineso that the gearwheel 33 is slidable on, but rotatable with shaft 15. A threaded .sleeve-,35 is secured toshaft 15 upon which a hand wheel 34, having aithreaded hub, rotates.. Hand wheel 34carries clutch members 36 adapted to engage the hub'of gear wheel 33 to slide same on shaft 15 into and out of Aengagement with gear 32 of the motor so that the motor -may be readily and safely connected'or disconnected vfrom operative connection with In Figure 2 is shown a motor loperated winch engine in which the `winch mechanism previously' described .isi-shown in duplicate for operating'lifeboats onjeach side" of the tension upon brake-bands 25.

" noted that each pair of winch drums are independently connected with shaft 15 through gear wheel 18 and the clutch mechanism operated by lever 20controlled by latch 39 while shaft 15 may be either operated by hand, by means of handles applied to the squared ends of shaft'15 or by motor 24, as desired. When it is desired to operate the drumsor either of the drums by.

hand, hand wheel 34 is revolved and by means of threaded sleeve 35 gear wheel 33 is withdrawn from engagement with gear -32 to the motor, asillustrated -in dotted lines thusreleasing shaft 15 from the motor control an'd permitting its rotation by means of suitable hand cranks applied to the ends of Shaft 15 as illustrated in Fig. 5.

A t'some desirable point, spring expansion elements 45 are introduced into the brake control ropes 27, which tension elements may be constructed las illustratedin Figure 9 in which va casing 46 is shown secured to one portion of the control rope at 47' 'and a sliding piston 49 controlled `by spring 50 secured to the other part of the rope. A suitable head 48 guides piston 49 and an"internalhead 51 engages-the spring 50'l 'lhe function of these elements will appear from the following description of the operation of 'the brake control ropes -in launching a liteboat. V

In practice, clutch 2() controlling gear wheel 18 is normally-kept locked in disen. 'gaged position as shown in'Figure 4 so that winchdrums W-lrV and shaft 16 arefree to rotate except Aas controlled by brake bands 25. By throwing clutches 20v into engagement drums vW- lV 'will be locked by iup wormlgear 19.. As previously described.

brake -bands 25'are controlled'through the levers 26 and brake control ropes27, which brake control ropes 27 pass through coaxial pulleys with the falls ropes to blocks ll secured to the lifeboat and are there belaycd vto cleats 14 under suilicicnt tension to hold the Weight of the lifeboat .and its load. [lp- .on swinging a lifeboat outboard, 4which opeiation can be clearly understood from Figure 1, davit-arlns 3 are both .elevated and thrust outwardly by"1neansof the operation 'ofthe links 5 so that it is desirable to iutroduce tension' elements, such as 45, into the brake "control ropes 27 of sufficient scope to permit this expansion to the'rope while atthefsame time maintaining the desired being swung outboard, the seamen therein,

by releasing brake control ropes 2T from winch drums \V`\V against rotation under The lifeboat 'i under control through ropes 27 extending,

as previously described, one to each 'end of the lifeboat.

By throwing the "clutch 20 into engagement with. gear wheels 18, the-drums can at any time be locked fromthe deck by operation of the worms 19, and the boats can, if desired, be further raised or lowered 'either by hand or power through the op'- eration of shaft 15.

The ends-of the shaft 16 are preferably squared to accommodate hand cranks by means of which the winch drums may be rapidly operated by hand if required to retrieve the falls after the release of a lifeboat, thus eliminating the gearing to shaft 15.

As illustgatedi the...v various supporting standardsare'shown secure to a suitable base 22 which would in turn be secured to the deck D, or, ofcourse, the standards may be assembled in properly spaced relation and secured directly to the deck. Various other similar modifications will readily 'suggest themselves to those skilled in the art,

'but Within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

'lVhat I claim is;

1. A boat handling apparatus for ships,

docks and the like comprising in combination, a fall, `a windlassfixed relatively to the ship, dock or the like,fa normally inoperative brake for the windlass,'means' detachably secured to the boat for operating the brake and means for maintaining an operative tension on said brake operative .means during the movement of the boat from 1nboard to outboard position..

2. A boat handling apparatus for ships, docks andthe like, comprising means or moving a boat from inboard to outboard position, a hoisting drum fixed relatively to the ship dock or the like, a'norm'ally inoperative brake therefor, and means detachably secured to the boat'adaptedl to maintain said brake applied While the boat is being moved from inboard to outboard position.

23. A boat handling apparatuz-ifor ships, docks, and the *ike, comprising in combination, means for moving a boat from inboard to outboard position, a hoisting drum fixed relatively .to theship dock or the like, a

, normally inoperative brake for said. drum,

a fall, and brake control means secured to the boat arranged to automatically maintain `the brake operative while the boat is movfrom inboard to outboardposition.

ing I A boat handling apparatus for ships,

docks and the like com rising in combination davits, blocks and alls, .a windlass for said falls, a normally inoperative brake for said windlass and a control rope passing from said brake over a guide lon a davit and including an eiipansion element and secured to the boat whereby the boat maybe swung brake made operative by said brake control rope.

5. In combination, davits, blocks and falls, a relatively fixed winchl for operating said falls, independent and norma-ily inoperative brakes for said winch, independent control ropes for operating said brakes secured to the boat to be lowered, .and means for maintaining a tension on said brake control ropes for operating 'of the brakes during'the movement-of said davits vfrom inboard to outboard position.

6. In combination, davits, blocks and falls suspended from said davits, a winch for operating said falls, inde endent, normally inoperative brakes for sai winch, independlass fixedly mounted on said shaft having a brake drum at leach end, brake bands in normally inoperative relation to said brake druins, a gear rotatable on said shaft,` a worm operative of said gear and aclutch member adapted to lock said gear to said shaft; and brake controlling ropes passingy from said brake bands and secured to the boat whereby said boat may be held in position either by operation of said clutch or saidv brake ropes.

' 8. In combination, davits,- blocks and falls. suspended from said davits, a winchfor operating said falls, independent, normally inoperative brakes for said winch',"'i`n'depend ent brake control ropes, each including an expansion element for operating said brakes, said brake control ropes passing over lthe upper block and being secured tothe lower, whereby the boat may be swung from inboard to outboard position with the brakes applied, and means for Alowering the boat whereby the weight of the boat is utilized to lock the brakes. l

9. In combination, davits, blocks'and falls suspended `from said davits, a 'winch for operating said falls, independent, normally inoperative brakes for said winch, independent brake control ropes, each including an expansion element for operating said brakes, said brake control ropes passing vover the upper block and being secured to the lower,

10. In combination, davits, blocks and falls suspended` from said davits, a winch for operating said falls, independent, normally inoperative brakes for said winch, independent brake control ro es, each including an ex ansion element or operating said brakes, s'ald brake control` ropes'passing 5 over the upper block and being secured to the lower, whereby' Jthe boatmay be swung from inboard to outboard position with the brakes applied, and means for lowering the Iboat whereby the weight of the boat is iitilized to lock the brakes, the said means con- 10 sisting'of acleat block control, and a device for fastening the brake rope in the boat, the brakes being Controlled by .either single or compounded ropes. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

`SOLOMON EDVARD AARON. 

